ARE YOU REALLY PROVIDING A SERVICE?

By
Real Estate Agent with Century 21 Winterpark Real Estate

With the real estate market having so much variation with what is selling and what is not selling, my question is just because you are licensed in the state does that mean that you should try to sell property in a market you are unfamiliar with?  I currently work in second home/investment market that is located in a ski town and about 1 hour from Denver.  My market is extremely different than the Denver market and yet we have agents from Denver trying to sell property up here without even doing there research.  Just recently I had an out of town agent set up a showing on one of my listings and then leave me and my sellers negative feedback because they were unable to locate the property.  Please note that if they were even the slightest bit familiar with the area they would have found the listing.  This is only one example, and I do not want to say that out of town agents should not be allowed to show property, what I am trying to get at is that if you truly want to provide a service to your client you should be familiar with the area you are showing property.  Just because I have a license in Colorado and can write a contract throughout the state does not mean that I should be selling my friend a house in the city!  I do not know that market and would not be able to provide a service to that client.  Agents stop being gready and provide a service to the people we are helping.  You can still get paid via a refferal and then you would actually be helping your client.

Thanks for reading.

Comments (6)

Rick Tourgee
Robert Paul Properties, Inc. - Provincetown, MA
Provincetown and Cape Cod

Hello Christian!

I just noticed you are from Rhode Island.  I am originally from Rhode Island as well, now living and selling real estate here on Cape Cod.

Myself, if I am not familiar with an area, I would MUCH rather get a referral fee and not have to do the grunt work while my Buyer Client is being serviced by a local professional with local knowledge.

Oct 12, 2007 05:31 AM
Jason Schweiger
Network Funding LP - Auburn, WA
Loan Originator / Branch Manager NFLP
They would be better to send their clients to an agent in the area. Some agents are more greedy than looking out for their clients interests. Isn't that our job...to look out for our clients!?
Oct 12, 2007 05:31 AM
Allen C. Wright
RealtyU - Aliso Viejo, CA
NS, AHS, REPS
Agents should not sell in an area they are not familar with ... learning on your clients dollar is not part of this business.  Refer out to other agents that know more ... get your referral fee and ask them to refer back when they have clients in your area of specialty.  There are too many horror stories of poorly selected homes.  This is pure greed ... if you want to work outside your area reduce your commission.
Oct 12, 2007 05:58 AM
Kerry "Ski" Polakowski
Big Sky Properties of Montana - Kalispell, MT

Hi Christian,

Well said! The client comes first!

However, we all know that there are folks in every walk of life, every type of business, that simply are in pursuit of the almighty dollar. The problem in having that personality trait is that it doesn't serve the clients needs, it becomes a negative character attribute, and the fallout hits all of us within the profession.

I wish there was a solution to the problem, but I don't see it shining on the horizon at this time.

We just have to hope that what goes around, comes around!

 

Oct 12, 2007 11:11 AM
Seth Callen
Farmers Insurance - Lawton, OK
Interesting post.  Most markets usually have a pretty wide variance of property types and niches.
Oct 12, 2007 03:49 PM
Edee Campbell
Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Drysdale Properties - Incline Village, NV

I can relate to this story.  I live in Lake Tahoe, 45 minutes from Reno.  We have incurred the same challenges.

There is nothing wrong with the agent wanting to work with his client.  One solution is to work with the listing agent.  Call and set an appointment to have the listing agent meet at their office and then go to the home together.

The goal should be to get the client what THEY want.  As agents, we should work together to accomplish that.

We will all look more professional if we work together.

Oct 13, 2007 01:26 PM

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